MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry

'Other publishers are very dictatorial'

Disney Interactive Studios has unveiled Ultimate Band for Nintendo Wii and DS. The game is similar to Rock Band, with gamers building their own band by using the Wii Remote and DS stylus. Ultimate Band invites kids, tweens and teens to join in the jam session,” said Craig Relyea, senior …

Activision’s chief executive Bobby Kotick has spoken out on EA’s audacious bid for Take Two for the first time – stating that he wasn’t tempted to acquire the Grand Theft Auto publisher at any stage. Kotick added that he thought consolidative moves from the like of EA were a direct …

Nintendo has sold 331,627 Wii units during the four weeks ending February 24th , according to MCV media partner Enterbrain. In comparison the PlayStation 3 sold 89,131 units. These figures indicate a widening gap between the PS3 and Wii, with the Wii outselling its rival by four to one. The …

Borders is to begin stocking video games to accompany its existing range of DVDs and CDs. The retailer is currently trialling an On Demand range of CD and DVDs in its Oxford Street store, which includes a handful of PC titles. However, commercial director of Borders UK and Ireland David …

Tricia Brennan has been appointed managing director of GAME UK and Ireland, and Martyn Gibbs has stepped up to become managing director of Gamestation. Both will report to Group chief executive, Lisa Morgan. Brennan and Gibbs are both promoted from their previous roles as commercial director at GAME and Gamestation …

Activision CEO also says fast-tracking multiple new IPs is 'recipe for failure' and toasts 'decentralised' studio system

On one hand, you have Dan and Claire Ashcroft – idealistic, serious journalists continually asked to leave their morals at the door and sell their souls to the money men to get by. Then you have the eponymous Nathan Barley – a man who has embraced the age of new …

Xbox Live is becoming Microsoft’s secret weapon in its battle with Sony to secure lucrative family audiences, the platform holder has told MCV. Paramount Pictures recently signed up to provide movie content to Live’s download-to-rent Video Store on Monday – an extension of a successful collaboration between the two firms …

Gamedaily.com reports that the merger pushes investors into an unfavourable minority position”. The complaint reads: "The merger, stock purchase and tender offer, working in concert, convey control of Activision to Vivendi but fail to offer the Activision stockholders an opportunity to realise a true control premium for their stock."